The Rio Grande River runs through the Rio Grande Valley in Albuquerque, creating the bosque, which is an outdoor lover’s playland. According to Google, “In English, ‘bosque’ translates to a forest, wood, or woodland. In the Southwestern United States, it specifically refers to a gallery forest—a distinct ribbon of trees and vegetation growing along the floodplains of rivers and streams, like the Rio Grande running through Albuquerque.” This week, I experienced the joy that that area provides with a run in the northern part of the bosque on Wednesday and a hike at the southern end of the Albuquerque bosque this morning.
On Wednesday, I was on a mission to find water in the Rio Grande. People have been saying for weeks that the Rio Grande is dry, and it is, north of the city. But I ran as far as the edge of the Sandia Pueblo land and encountered not only water but some of the wildlife that thrives along the river. With only 13% of the water from snowmelt this spring and a late monsoon season, the river is yearning to replenish its flow.
This morning, my older daughter and our three dogs set off heading south in the bosque in search of a place to actually cross the dry Rio Grande, which we had never done before. We also wanted to return on the west side of the river, not even knowing if there was a trail there.
We were successful on all counts, taking a well-used bosque trail to a point where we could not only cross the river, but also find a trail that would take us back to our starting point. That path was little used, and an encounter with a group of coyotes made us realize that we needed to be vigilant and to keep moving, no matter how slow-going it was. On the west side of the river, we felt like we were in the wilderness, even though we crossed the river again directly under Interstate 40, near where we started.
After our adventure, we rewarded ourselves with coffee and brunch at Bike In Coffee, which itself is situated in the bosque along the Rio Grande.
Running for a Lifetime Training Log
If you’d like to see my day-by-day training, photos, and Polar workout data from this week, visit my Running for a Lifetime training log.
Rich Dafter is the founder of HowToBeFit.com, a lifelong runner, former ACE Certified Personal Trainer, BODi Coach since 2007, and Polar Athlete and Ambassador for 39 years. At 75, he continues to run, hike, strength train, and share practical strategies for healthy aging, fitness, and longevity. Learn more about Rich Dafter on the About page.
